[mythrwy]

So is alcohol. As with most things the amount of harm likely depends on amount used.

The problem with cocaine (in my limited experience) is people take a bit, want more, and wind up binging. And quite often it turns into a habitual thing which does affect both health and wallet.

Cocaine (insufflated, injection and smoking are different cases) doesn't have to be used like this just as a person can have a beer or two now and again without great harm or danger. However people often lack control once they get started with it. Some people are like this with alcohol, habituation and binging and generally out of control behavior once they have a little.

I'm not a doctor, I don't know the harm levels at low dosage infrequent use, but I personally doubt a small bump or two a few times a year is really that harmful or dangerous.

The problem is, given access, dosage doesn't usually stay low nor infrequent. I haven't been around cocaine in years, decades really, but I have seen some sad stories and it is best stayed away from in my opinion. However it's not quite as bad as some people believe, and I have seen people who used it in a way I would consider responsible.

[jliptzin]

I tried it once, did nothing for me, didn't try it again. I agree that it can be used responsibly, however one of my friends who did it sparingly ended up with a sinus infection that travelled to the brain, requiring brain surgery, which he is still dealing with the effects of many years later (doctors said it was most likely from cocaine use).